Joan Mir believes a move to Gresini Racing Ducati will give him the fresh start he needs after four challenging seasons with Honda, with the 2020 MotoGP world champion saying he is still "hungry" to fight for success.
Mir has signed a two-year contract with Gresini for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons, ending his stint with Honda after joining the Japanese manufacturer in 2023 following Suzuki's withdrawal from the championship.
Although Mir admits leaving a factory team was not an easy decision, he said uncertainty surrounding Honda's plans for MotoGP's new 850cc regulations played a major role in his choice.
The Spaniard felt he needed greater clarity about the future project and ultimately decided to take control of his career by joining Gresini, a team that has established itself as one of Ducati's strongest satellite outfits.
"I'm hungry to do something more," Mir said, explaining his motivation behind the switch.
Source: Auto Hebdo
His four years with Honda were far from straightforward. The RC213V struggled to compete when he first arrived, and Mir previously admitted the difficult period even made him question whether he wanted to continue racing.
Despite the setbacks, Mir played an important role in Honda's recent progress. Improved performances and several podium finishes showed the RC213V had taken meaningful steps forward, although crashes and inconsistency often prevented him from becoming Honda's leading rider in the championship.
Now, Mir hopes the move to Ducati machinery will allow him to regularly challenge at the front again.
One of the biggest attractions of joining Gresini is the chance to reunite with crew chief Frankie Carchedi. The pair enjoyed great success together during Mir's title-winning 2020 campaign, and the Spaniard believes their existing relationship will help him settle into the new project more quickly.
"Knowing him, we have a lot of work done," Mir said.
Gresini has built a strong reputation since becoming a Ducati satellite team in 2022. The squad has helped several riders rebuild or elevate their careers, including Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez, Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Fermin Aldeguer.
Mir hopes he can follow a similar path when he joins the Italian outfit, taking over the seat currently occupied by Alex Marquez.
The move marks one of the biggest rider transfers ahead of MotoGP's new technical era, with Mir aiming to turn a difficult Honda chapter into the beginning of another title challenge.
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